ok I am not driving in but I have to ask this as I have been wondering. People sit in line for up to 8 hours waiting to get in... How do they not run out of gas? Obviously there is no gas station on the playa and the nearest city is a little bit away, so how do people do it? I mean you have to wait on your way in and wait on your way out.... how is this issue solved?

maladroit- Burning Man is like a second job, except you pay to work there.Burning Man is just the pre party for exodus! - fellow burner during exodus

I have not seen the lines in to be that bad, but for the most part, you can shut your car off if the wait is long. I tend to fill my car up just before getting on highway 447. (not sure of the town) On the way out, there is a pulsing system now. One whole row moves up and out, while the other waits. You can shut your car off for quite a while during that pulsing thing. I have never come close to running out of gas. Usually when I get back to Reno, I still have half a tank.

There will be times for sure when you will just want to turn off the motor. I remember periods of 40 minutes during Exodus where the line simply would. not. move. (There were some accidents on 447 this year that contributed to that).

Usually the time periods without moving are shorter. 10 or 15 minutes, maybe 20 minutes, then some steady inching along for 5 or 10 minutes.

Each time I've been to the Burn, the driver has topped off the tank 106 miles away in Alturas, CA (because this is the last Sure Thing in the direction I'm coming from). This has always been sufficient not to run out of gas despite the stop & go. I have never needed to detour to Gerlach for gas. (From the NW, Gerlach is technically a detour off to the right--West of where we want to go. And a time-loss, due to gridlock).

*** 2016 Survival Guide ***"I must've lost it when I was twerking at the trash fence." -- BBadger

tattoogoddess wrote:Yeah I am coming from Reno so those 2 will most likely be my stops with who ever I ride share with. Ps gas prices this summer are going to suck big time! It will be at least $4 and some places $5.

Reno is the same distance from Gerlach as Alturas (my stop) is from Gerlach. Literally, one mile's difference in distance. So you ought to be sittin' pretty if you make Reno your final fuel stop (but fill it up to the top). In Gerlach there will be a hell of a line for gas not counting the line to actually get out to the playa. However, Gerlach is very accommodating, deserves our business and tends to have a plentiful supply (they are very used to us) although of course they are more vulnerable to running out of anything, thanks to us. So there are good things about fueling up in either place.

If it were me, coming in with that wave of folks on Sunday night, I would fill up in Reno as my last gas stop to save myself some time.

*** 2016 Survival Guide ***"I must've lost it when I was twerking at the trash fence." -- BBadger

I've driven in an old 1990 gas hog Suburban and an even worse gas hog 1989 RV. The RV has a HUGE gas tank so it is sort of not part of the equation.

What we do, is fill up in Fernley, NV. The first place you get off I-80. This is the last bigger town/city. Fill up here, do not waste your time filling up in Nixon or Gerlach the gas station in Nixion will have a huge line that takes forever!!! Also, Fernley is probably about an hour before Nixon, but you're not going very fast most of the time.

During Entrance, just put your vehicle in park when you are not moving, but don't turn it off, and if possible turn off your Air Conditioner. Keep in mind that a car idling in Park can run a very long time and use very little gas. Though, running the Air Conditioner will decrease the fuel efficiency. And in older cars, could increase the chance the vehicle will over heat.

Why don't ya stick your head in that hole and find out? ~pieholePlan for the worst, expect the best. Make the most out of it under any conditions. If you cannot do that you will never enjoy yourself. ~CrispyDave

I switched from plastic to metal gas cans. I carry four cans filled in Cedarville with a CC.. Always carry a 5 gallon can full. Never know whats ahead.. If there is no problem, I get 250 mile to a tank.. Last time out, something went wrong with the brain.. The van bucked and kick for the whole 500 miles home.. Speeds up to 40 then down to 5. 5miles to the gallon.. It was a real work out keeping that thing running.. I cross two deserts and three mountain range.. Spent one night sleeping on the ground..Woke up to 20 degrees..

Reason for the metal cans.. My plastic jerry can with water worried the corners until it leaked.. Then I tried carrying the fuel on the van floor.. Don't do this.. It gets hot and fill s the van with fumes.. The metal cans can take the bouncing around of the trailer.. With some watch and wait I averaged $11 a can from garage sells and craig's List.

5280MeV wrote:My previous ride is ticketless at the moment, and I am starting to lean towards getting my own 10' box truck, and seeing how much I can fill it up with MOOP on the way back.

Is buying two 5 gal plastic gas containers overkill, and would the DPW want or accept those as gifts on the way out?

Thw DPW or other random burners can use stuff you cannot take home with you. All you have to do is ask around, and even then those cans could be given away to a random stranger in Reno (best if you find one that knows about the burn, lol).

OT, I think you'd like renting a box truck, easy shelter, just park and put up some shade and you're basically set up. Some even buy furniture at thrift stores and what not for the interior of the truck.

I'm the MAN in a truck, burner who is stuck, you're in luck! I'll whip out my BIG tow chain and not charge you, not even one lousy buck!

We usually fill up in Reno and pull off 447 onto the playa with at least 3/4 of a tank. Last year it took 4 hours to get in on Wednesday afternoon and we turned off the van while we waited for the lines to move. The guy in a beamer next to me pushed his car all the way the gate. Lots of burners would hop out and help him here and there. It was a little push party. Fun to watch. I couldn't/didn't wanna push my cargo van.

I basically park the van and use the A/C ONLY if I must in a white out or something. I think I will attempt a figjam bucket cooler this year, just in case.

Last year in exodus - we got in line about 8pm or so. They had the pulsing going so after moving about 100 feet I would turn off the van, set my alarm for 45 minutes, and take a nap. I think it took us 5 hours to get off the playa in 2011.

Hey let me know if you have any room. I am looking for a ride out that day or so. My train leaves Tuesday in Reno.

If you are getting on a train Tuesday, you should leave on Monday so you can SHOWER and SLEEP in Reno before your journey. Seriously, do yourself that huge favor.

I agree with MDF on leaving Monday for a hotel room in Reno. A shower after the playa is pure heaven. A bath even. OMG.

I would love to offer a ride out on Tuesday - but I have a cargo van with only two seats. Me and my honey fill those It's possible that this year I will get an EA pass and my honey will show up on Tuesday or Wednesday with friends. I will be cruising through Reno looking for a rider, but that is WAY up in the air right now.

Just put enough in your tank to get to Black Rock City then when your neighbors go out to explore the city syphon enough from their tanks to fill yours. After they have partied for a week they will not remember how muchgas they drove in with.

I do not think I will have the funds to get a room to be honest and the hotel by the depot is booked I went through my budget today and it is looking REALLY bad. I have spent way more then planned.( First year you have so much shit to buy lol) I was just going to take a shower on my way out of the playa at the truck stop and then crash on the train. I will how ever sleep on a floor if someone is getting a hotel room lol or even in the bathtub. lol

maladroit- Burning Man is like a second job, except you pay to work there.Burning Man is just the pre party for exodus! - fellow burner during exodus

tattoogoddess wrote:I do not think I will have the funds to get a room to be honest and the hotel by the depot is booked I went through my budget today and it is looking REALLY bad. I have spent way more then planned.( First year you have so much shit to buy lol) I was just going to take a shower on my way out of the playa at the truck stop and then crash on the train. I will how ever sleep on a floor if someone is getting a hotel room lol or even in the bathtub. lol